


lullaby for a restless soul

by Tatsumaki_sama



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Issues, Father-Son Relationship, First Meetings, Gen, Kid Fic, Light Angst, Misunderstandings, Uncle Dante (Devil May Cry), Uncle-Nephew Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 02:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18791500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatsumaki_sama/pseuds/Tatsumaki_sama
Summary: Dante had said he had a surprise for Nero but bringing him to see an imprisoned white-haired man was not the child's idea of a fun surprise.





	lullaby for a restless soul

**Author's Note:**

> I suppose this could be an alternate retelling to "caveat emptor (let the buyer beware)" where Nero meets Vergil in a different setting under different circumstances, though this story can be read on its own. For some reason, I really wanted to write Nero meeting Vergil who is in prison. The William Blake poem Vergil quoted at the end is Cradle Song, which I found had different versions but I liked this particular version, especially how the song is written like a lullaby a mother is singing to her sleeping child.

 

“ Hey kid, what do you say about going out someplace tomorrow night?”

 

Nero paused in his coloring. “ I can go out at night?” he asked eagerly.

 

He never got to go out when it got dark. Trish and Lady had told him it wasn't safe for him, but as far as the five year old was concerned, it wasn't fair because Dante went out when it was late all the time and sometimes, he would stay out for a long time and wouldn't return until Nero came back from school.

 

The idea of being able to venture out with Dante at night time was _exciting_.

 

“ Yeah, but the place we are going to can be a little spooky.” Dante started making silly ghostly sounds, wiggling his fingers in the air near Nero's face, making him giggle.

 

“ I'm not scared of anything!”

 

“ Sure you aren't, kid. Which is why you are going to be sticking with me the entire time we are in there. Got it?”

 

Nero nodded excitedly.

 

~.~.~

 

“ Do I have to wear this?” Nero complained, tugging at the black wool hat that Trish had pulled over his head, cloaking the entirety of his head and hiding all of his hair. She also insisted that he wore a thick scarf around his mouth and nose.

 

“ It's for your protection,” Trish firmly said, adjusting and fixing the scarf so it was a little more snug.

 

“ But it's not that cold right now.”

 

Trish paused. Her expression was unreadable but Nero had overheard that she wasn't happy at Dante for bringing him to wherever Dante was going to bring him.

 

“ If something happens to Nero while he is in there,” Trish had all but hiss at Dante one evening. Nero wasn't supposed to be listening – Lady had explained that it wasn't very nice to eavesdrop when other people are talking – but he couldn't help but lean a little closer down the stairs where the raised voices were. He had heard Trish get irritated at Dante before but he couldn't remember a time when she sounded this angry.

 

“ It's not a place for children.”

 

“ We can cover his face, make sure no camera gets a good look at him,” Dante firmly said. “ Besides, he will be staying with someone all the time. You think I would let anyone get near him?”

 

“ Even if it was Vergil?”

 

Whoever Vergil was, it made Dante become silent.

 

Nero would have liked to listen more but he thought he heard a creak at the bottom of the stairs and he fled back to this room, wondering who this Vergil person was and why Dante and Trish were arguing about him.

 

~.~.~

 

As far as surprises went, Nero wasn't very impressed with it currently as the place that Dante had brought him was dark, large and imposing-looking. What was so special about a gloomy building that had gates and fences around it?

 

But to the five-year-old, it looked _boring_.

 

“ This is the surprise?” he asked Dante, trying to not sound disappointed.

 

Dante didn't seem to mind. In fact, Dante appeared to be more enthusiastic about this surprise than Nero. “ It's not so much the building,” Dante sagely said, trying to sound like one of Nero's teachers from school. “ But the treasure that lies within.”

 

“ So this is a treasure hunt?”

 

“ Right.” Dante tweaked Nero's nose. “ The treasure we are looking for is a person. We are going to meet with that person.”

 

“ How can a person be a treasure?” Nero suspiciously asked.

 

Dante grinned. “ I guess we will have to find out.”

 

~.~.~

 

“ You're with me until Dante comes back,” Lady smiled after Dante handed Nero off to her.

 

Nero tried not to frown because he liked spending time with Lady. But on the other hand, Dante just dropped him off and sauntered off to who knew where. All without revealing who this surprise person treasure was.

 

“ You can help me look after these surveillance cameras. See?” Lady pointed to the several television screens that flickered. Nero spotted some people walking by on them. He could have sworn he saw Trish slipping into a room wearing different clothing (he didn't think he ever saw Trish wear anything other than black) than he had seen her wear earlier. “ We are going to play tag.”

 

He perked up at that. “ Tag?”

 

“ Anytime you see someone on the screens, that means you caught them. You just let me know and I'll tag them out.”

 

“ How are you going to tag them out?”

 

“ I'll tell Dante and Trish who will take care of them for us. The person who spots the most people wins.”

 

Nero started bouncing in excitement in his chair. Now this was fun.

 

~.~.~

 

“ Five minutes is all we can afford,” Lady warned as a reminder after Dante returned after what seemed to hours to Nero to sweep up a protesting Nero in his arms. “ Do what you have to and get out fast.”

 

He casually waved goodbye to Lady as his response as he stepped back out to the hallway, this time with Nero.

 

It was devoid of people. Nero figured after tagging so many of them out with Lady, they must be standing around in a waiting room until the game was done.

 

As tolerating as he was, Nero was starting to get impatient. “ Am I going to see the surprise yet?” he asked.

 

“ Patience is a virtue, young one,” Dante said in a mock serious voice.

 

“ I've waited a _whole_ night.”

 

“ I know. I know. Things took a bit longer to put in place.”

 

“ You said I was gonna like this surprise,” Nero pouted.

 

Dante was grinning. It must be because Lady and Trish had told Nero that he looked especially adorable when his cheeks puffed out and his lips pressed into a frown. Which Nero didn't like at all since he didn't like being called cute.

 

“ I know, I know. This surprise is for me too. Be a little more patient with me, m'kay?”

 

Nero huffed. If the surprise was for Dante too, then he guessed he could wait a bit longer.

 

~.~.~

 

After another long walk down several hallways and rooms upon rooms, Dante finally brought him to a secluded room, almost hidden and tucked away from prying eyes. With a casual swipe from a card, Dante and Nero were able to enter the room through a transparent door where there was a sole occupant in an otherwise barren room.

 

There was a man lying flat on a bed, posture stiff, with his hands clasped over his chest, seemingly asleep. Nero was surprised to see that his white hair was similar to Dante's.

 

And similar to Nero's.

 

“ What do you want, Dante?”

 

The man spoke, his voice smooth and crisp with an edge of impatience.

 

Dante was grinning. “ What, we haven't seen each other in a few years and this is the greeting I get?”

 

“ Six years.”

 

“ Whatever.”

 

The man sat up in a fluid motion. His blue eyes were narrowed in exasperation. “ You should learn how to count,” he said.

 

Dante glanced down at Nero with a quirk of his mouth. “ I suppose I should.”

 

It was then the man noticed Nero hovering behind Dante for the first time. Dante began tugging off Nero's hat and scarf as he gently pushed Nero forward so the man could get a better glimpse of him.

 

“ There's someone I want you to meet,” Dante introduced with pride. “ This is Nero.”

 

Nero wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, so he just awkwardly stood there, scuffing the bottom of his shoes.

 

The man looked at Nero for a long time, his gaze piercing and severe. Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, Nero inched a bit closer to Dante, keeping one hand on the hem of Dante's jacket.

 

Finally, the man averted his gaze and turned back to Dante, mouth curling in displeasure and loathing. “ If this is your way of winning against me, you are mistaken,” he coldly said.

 

“ Is that what you think this is about?”

 

“ Why else would you risk bringing the child here for me to witness him with my own eyes? To prove you have bested me and for you to relish in your superiority over me.”

 

“ It's not about that. This is – _Nero_ is a new beginning. For the both of us.”

 

“ He means nothing to me,” the man spat. He was looking everywhere except at Nero.

 

“ You haven't even met the kid yet. Give him a chance before you say things like that.” Dante's tone was light and casual but his eyes were hardened with an indescribable emotion.

 

“ There is no reason why I should care for him.”

 

Nero didn't understand what was happening between Dante and this man or why things were getting tense and disagreeable between them. Or how all of this was somehow involving Nero.

 

All he knew was that Dante wasn't acting like his usual cheerful self and Nero didn't like it one bit.

 

“ You're being mean to Dante.”

 

Both Dante and the man turned towards him in surprise, like they had forgotten he was there in the first place. Nero drew himself as tall as possible and pointed an accusatory finger at the man with all the frank gravity that a child could muster.

 

“ I don't like you,” he decisively said, jutting out his chin in the most solemn scowl he could manage.

 

The man looked taken back, as if he had not expected Nero to talk to him.

 

Dante started laughing. “ From the mouths of babies. Should have expected it after all; his straightforward personality takes after his _father_.”

 

Now that surprised Nero. Nero couldn't even count on one hand the times that Dante had mentioned Nero's father, whoever it was. Dante was always quick to change the subject or carelessly brush off any enquiry from Nero about it, going through a range of responses such as _It's complicated_ or _I'll tell you when you're older_ or even _Who needs a father when you got me?_

 

On the other hand, the man was frowning, brow furrowed deep in thought as if he was trying to process what he had heard. “ He is not your – ?” he began slowly, carefully, almost like he wasn't believing the very words he was saying.

 

“ _I_ wasn't the one who visited Fortuna six, seven years ago,” Dante smugly replied.

 

Nero thought he might have heard the name Fortuna before long ago, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

 

The man, however, did. The way his eyes comically widened and his mouth remained slack reminded Nero of a machine that had stopped working and was attempting to reboot itself unsuccessfully.

 

“ Nero is _my_ – ?”

 

“ Yeah, dumbass.” Dante was looking exasperated and amused all at once. “ Can't remember through that thick skull of yours?”

 

“ That ... was a long time ago.”

 

“ As much as I want to hear that story, don't tell it in front of the kid.”

 

The man, still with a slightly stunned expression on his face, opened his mouth to retort, but whatever he was about to say was drowned out by a sudden beep from the PA system.

 

 _The safety procedure test will be completed in a few minutes,_ a woman that sounded like Trish was pleasantly speaking. _All personnel can return to their stations afterwards. Thank you for your cooperation._

 

Dante heaved a sigh. “ Time to go.” He glanced over at the man. “ Don't know when we'll get another chance like this, so say your goodbyes.”

 

Nero didn't want to, as the man had not done anything to deserve a farewell. And he wasn't nice to either Dante or Nero, so why should Nero be nice to him back? So he stood his ground, pressing his mouth into a frown and not saying a word.

 

“ How stubborn,” Dante said fondly, while ruffling Nero's hair, making him protest and squirm. “ Let's go then.”

 

Which was a relief to Nero. He didn't want to stay here a second longer.

 

“ Nero. Wait.”

 

He turned around, surprised that the man addressed him for the first time since they entered his room.

 

The man stood up. Nero warily watched him as he approached them.

 

He knelt down next to Nero, making it so that their eyes could meet. Blue clashed with blue with such an intensity that Nero wasn't sure what to make of it. There was a strange expression across his face, something akin to awe, curiosity and ... dread?

 

The man's arms made a motion as if they wanted to come up and place a hand on Nero's shoulders, but it was as if some invisible barrier was stopping him. His hands opened and clenched inelegantly at his sides.

 

Dante watched him, them both actually, with an unreadable expression.

 

“ _When thy little heart doth wakes_ ,” the man finally said as if reciting it from a book. “ _Then the dreadful night shall break_.”

 

Nero wrinkled his nose in confusion. “ What does that mean? I don't get it.”

 

“ Perhaps not now,” the man agreed. “ But ... we got plenty of time,” he said, his voice softening ever so slightly.

 

~.~.~

 

“ Who _was_ that?” Nero at last had a chance to ask the question that had been burning in his mind since he came here.

 

As Dante carried Nero out, Nero peered over Dante's shoulder to watch the man as he remained standing behind the glass window. His eyes, a little more warmer and expressive, followed after them as they disappeared further down the hallway until Dante turned a corner and Nero couldn't see the man anymore.

 

“ He's someone I know,” Dante evasively said.

 

“ How come he is in that room?”

 

“ Well, he did some bad things and he was sent here,” he replied, still in that vague tone.

 

“ Is it because he wasn't nice to you?”

 

Dante didn't speak for some time. “ No.”

 

Nero shifted and wiggled in Dante's arms to turn around and face him. “ Is it because of me?” he asked bluntly.

 

Dante looked at Nero with his eyes softened, a rare kind of expression that Nero hardly ever saw on the man. “ No, it wasn't anything you did, kid,” he quietly said.

 

“ Then why was he so mean?”

 

“ His personality is like that.”

 

“ He probably doesn't make a lot of friends,” Nero huffed.

 

Dante smiled but there was little amusement in his expression otherwise. “ You could say that.”

 

“ How come you want to see him then?”

 

“ He and I ... go a long way back.”

 

“ But he doesn't like you,” Nero pointed out with all the candid honesty of a child.

 

“ No. No, he doesn't.”

 

“ And at first, he didn't like me either.”

 

“ He ... thought you were someone else.”

 

“ That's stupid,” Nero frowned. “ I don't look like anyone else.”

 

“ Of course not,” Dante grinned, some mirth returning to his eyes. “ He eventually figured it out that he was wrong.”

 

Which was good, because Nero didn't want to be mistaken for someone else.

 

“ He wasn't very friendly or nice,” Nero mused. “ But I think it's because he's lonely.”

 

It was a rather strange look Dante was giving him. Dante had been having a lot of looks like that towards Nero and it was beginning to perplex Nero.

 

For all the man's hostility and scorn, there was something sad and wistful about him. The quiet longing look in his eyes as he watched Dante and Nero leave spoke volumes. Perhaps the man had a secluded childhood and he wasn't sure how to interact with others without lashing out.

 

From the way he was talking to Nero, it sounded like the man wanted to meet with Nero again. Why though, seeing how this was the first time they met, was something Nero wasn't certain about.

 

Perhaps the man just wanted someone to love him.

 

They had finally exited the building. The cool night air made Nero shiver and Dante started tugging on his scarf and hat a little more snug and warmly around him.

 

“ Was meeting that man the surprise?”

 

“ Yeah.”

 

The man was certainly a surprise, full of mystery and fascination.

 

“ He was weird,” Nero neatly summarized.

 

Dante chuckled. “ Now that is something we can both agree on.”

 

In the distance, Nero could see Trish and Lady waiting and waving at them from the van. He waved back.

 

The night was still long but Nero wasn't ready to sleep just yet. He still had so many questions about the man.

 

Dante had a wicked twinkle in his eyes. “ Want to get pizza?”

 

“ Ice cream first!”

 

Dante laughed. “ All right, kid.”

 

Those questions could wait until tomorrow.

 


End file.
